2014 NBA Draft: Sixers draft Embiid, then trade for Croatian forward

The Sixers made the pick after their proposed trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers for the top overall selection fell through.Embiid, who could not attend the draft because of his recent surgery and instead watched from Kansas, told ESPN about watching the draft on TV instead of in person:

“It is different. [I’m] disappointed not to be there. I wish I could be there, but I’m excited. The Sixers just took me, and I still can’t believe it. You know, to start playing basketball so late, and just being here, it just means that anything’s possible.”

The team used the 10th overall pick on Louisiana-Lafayette guard Elfrid Payton. The Sixers then traded Payton to the Orlando Magic for Croatian star Dario Saric, a future first-round pick and a future second-round selection. The second-rounder is reportedly for 2015. The first-rounder is the 2017 top-11 pick the Sixers sent to the Magic in the Andrew Bynum deal.